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Whyteleafe crashed out of the FA Cup at the very first hurdle as a depleted side lost by a solitary goal to Uxbridge.
Experienced lynchpins Lee Sidwell and Paul Scott were missing due to work commitments whilst top scorer Darren Watson and fellow forward Billy Harding were more surprising absentees leaving manager Stuart Massey with no option but to push centre-half Fred Fleming up front with Jason Goodchild moving from right back to midfield with Daniel Aldous, returning from illness, filling his berth.
The hosts started brightly and in the second minute had a very strong penalty appeal turned down by referee Mr Quelch when a Mark Hammond cross was clearly handled by defender Dave Sargent. What a crucial early call this would prove to be.
Fleming hit the bar with a skilful bicycle kick on seven minutes, though he was adjudged to be offside and soon after Sam Butler, a constant threat down the left hand side had a powerful shot deflected behind by defender Tom Howell.
After 20 minutes Uxbridge took command, a Danny Tilbury header from a corner forcing keeper Rob O'Hara to save smartly, before being forced to save again on 24 minutes when he could only parry a rasping drive from Ryan O'Toole. The goal came on 26 minutes when Aldous slipped up on the right, allowing striker Kevin Warner to take the ball forward and fire a low shot past the advancing O'Hara.
Still Uxbridge pushed, forcing a succession of corners on the half hour whilst Leafe offered little in reply, clearly pleased to use the break to regroup and consider their options.
After the break the game bogged down in midfield until on the hour Butler hit a fine lob from 25 yards that cleared Uxbridge keeper Matt Burton, but also his crossbar by a matter of inches. Butler then forced a corner taken by Mark Hammond, to which Butler first applied a header, punched away by Burton and a shot, blocked by defender Gavin Brown.
On 73 minutes Leafe forward Jordan Wilson made a fine run across the area, past several defenders, but fired into the side netting. Just after, Butler hit another fine strike, blocked by Melvyn Baptiste as Uxbridge defended deeply.
With time running out, Hammond almost forced a replay when hitting a fine shot in the 86th minute over keeper Burton's head, only to see Jack Smillie head the ball off the line.
Uxbridge's reward is a home tie against Ash United and a tidy cash prize, even at this stage of the competition, whilst Leafe will be ruing the loss of several key players and lack of a finishing touch on the day.
Whyteleafe: O'Hara, Goodchild, Bremner, Aldous (Wardell 76), Fleming, Coleman R, Banks, Hammond, Wilson, Coleman D, Butler. Subs not used: Conroy, Massey